The idea of freshman year of college is exciting and nerve-wracking for high school seniors. A new place means a fresh start, with new friends to be made and experiences to be had. And one of the most fun parts, in my personal opinion, is getting to decorate a new space, one that can reflect your personality and make you feel comfortable, inspired, and at-home. Dorm shopping is both crazy and amusing; picking out a color scheme and brand new things for your room is an experience that makes college feel real. It is also almost guaranteed that once you are a few months into your first semester, you will realize that you most definitely over packed. It’s an almost inevitable evil that every first-year college student goes through.
But, to prevent it, here’s a list of the things that you do not need freshman year:
mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica”>1.
All of your shoes.
You may think it’s a good idea to take your complete collection of sandals, wedges, heels, boots, and sneakers with you to your dorm, but at no point will you ever need all of them. In the end, they’ll take up valuable space. So, if you do not really think you’ll need them, leave ‘em behind. They know you love them anyway.
2. Extra blankets.
Multiple blankets may be all you wrap yourself in when you are home, but they won’t be as necessary in college. Dorms are usually really hot no matter what the season, and having a ton of fluffy blankets around will probably only make it seem hotter. So leave the extra ones at home, and you can snuggle with them on breaks.
3. A blender.
I don’t know why I thought I needed a blender my first semester of freshman year, but it made its’ way into my dorm. You will one hundred percent never use one, especially with dining dollars and multiple different ways to get your smoothies and shakes on campus without having to go to the grocery store to buy the ingredients. All you need your freshman year is a microwave and a refrigerator, and a coffee maker/Keurig; no blenders, or toasters, or anything of the sort.
4. A television.
A lot of people may disagree, but I did not have a TV my freshman year and it was not missed. Most schools have a service that lets you watch live television with your school username and password, and if that does not work there is always Hulu, Netflix, Youtube, Fullscreen, and all other streaming services to keep you updated and entertained.
5. Your whole wardrobe.
To go along with the shoes-thing, bringing all the clothes that you own to college is definitely a thumbs-down idea. Your everyday wardrobe completely changes in college, even if your style does not. Most college students tend to reach for the more comfortable clothes for classes and everyday activities, and save their “better” clothes for weekends. Even if you dressed up everyday in high school, you will most likely not in college. Therefore, all of your clothes are not necessary and will just overwhelm you. Pick your favorites, stock up on leggings, and zip the suitcase shut.
6. A ton of school supplies.
Unlike high school, in college you don’t need more than 2 folders, one pack of pencils/pens, a stapler, two notebooks, a planner, tape, and highlighters. Multiple binders, a cup-full of writing utensils, erasers, post-its, and a ton of other school supplies might just take up space on your desk. Unless your class warrants specific supplies, don’t go too crazy when picking up your pens and notebooks before move-in.
7. All your favorite books.
Even though you may love to read, and having your favorite novels around will make you feel cozy and at-home, I promise that you will never have time to read them. They’ll take up valuable space on your bookshelves and even if they give you piece of mind the first week, eventually you won’t notice them. Pick the one or two that you can’t live without and keep them close by the bed that way you’re more likely to read them, rather than having your whole library in your dorm room.
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